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Prestatyn woman found guilty of pushchair blaze murders Prestatyn woman found guilty of pushchair blaze murders
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A woman who set fire to a pushchair because she was angry that it had been left in a shared hallway has been found guilty of murdering five members of the same family, including three children, who died in the resulting blaze.A woman who set fire to a pushchair because she was angry that it had been left in a shared hallway has been found guilty of murdering five members of the same family, including three children, who died in the resulting blaze.
Melanie Smith, 43, carried out the attack because she was "drunk and angry", disillusioned with her boyfriend, unhappy in her flat and jealous of 20-year-old Lee Anna Shiers who lived upstairs, Mold crown court heard.Melanie Smith, 43, carried out the attack because she was "drunk and angry", disillusioned with her boyfriend, unhappy in her flat and jealous of 20-year-old Lee Anna Shiers who lived upstairs, Mold crown court heard.
Shiers, 20, her four-year-old nephew, Bailey, and two-year-old niece, Skye, died in the arson attack at their home in Prestatyn, north Wales, on 19 October year. Shiers, 20, her four-year-old nephew, Bailey, and two-year-old niece, Skye, died in the arson attack at their home in Prestatyn, north Wales, on 19 October last year. Firefighters rescued Shiers's 15-month-old son, Charlie, and his father, Liam Timbrell, 23, from the first-floor flat, but they died in hospital.
Firefighters rescued Shiers's 15-month-old son, Charlie, and his father, Liam Timbrell, 23, from the first-floor flat but they died in hospital. Speaking outside the court, Shiers's parents said they were overjoyed with Tuesday's verdicts but that a void had been left in their hearts. Joy Shiers, 45, said her daughter was "a lovely, bubbly girl and Liam a very caring dad", while she described the children as "angels". She said: "She [Smith] hasn't just taken Anna, Liam and the children, she's taken our way of life, our friends, our family."
Smith appeared to collapse into the arms of a security guard to her right as the first of the 10-to-two majority verdicts was returned after almost 15 hours of deliberations by the jury. As the remaining guilty verdicts were announced by the jury foreman, she bowed her head and looked to the floor. During the three-week trial, the jury heard that Smith, an alcoholic mother-of-five, had become increasingly angry with Shiers, accusing the young mother of being a noisy and untidy neighbour.
In the public gallery on a balcony above the courtroom there was a short outburst of "no", seemingly from a member of Smith's family. Relatives of the victims were then heard to be crying as others shouted: "Yes." Smith complained to others about Shiers leaving the pram in the hallway and leaving cigarette ends around near the front door. Ian Murphy QC, for the prosecution, told the jury that on the night of the fire, Smith was drunk and started the blaze "in a rage" after hearing Shiers and Timbrell having sex upstairs.
A self-confessed binge drinker, Smith had a propensity to make drunken threats to burn people's houses down with their children inside, the court heard. During the trial, the court heard testimony from 21 witnesses who said they had heard Smith making threats to burn down people's houses, but she accused them of lying. Smith appeared to collapse into the arms of a security guard as the first of the 10-to-two majority verdicts was returned after almost 15 hours of deliberations by the jury. As the remaining guilty verdicts were announced by the jury foreman, she bowed her head and looked to the floor.
A harrowing 999 call made by Timbrell from the burning building was played to the court. "Help, help. Someone has put it on purpose [sic]. We're inside the flat," he said. Smith had a propensity to make drunken threats to burn people's houses down with their children inside, said Murphy, and she had made a string of similar threats to Shiers in the weeks before the fire, he said.
He could be heard shouting: "Oh my God, oh my God, we're going to die." There was sobbing in the public gallery when the call was played. During the trial, the court heard testimony from 21 witnesses, including a firefighter and police officer, who said they had heard Smith making threats to burn people's houses down. She accused people of lying and plotting against her.
Timbrell later told rescuing paramedics and a police community support officer that "Mel from downstairs" had started the fire. He said: "She was shouting through the letterbox: 'I'm going to burn your house down' … It was Mel from the downstairs flat." He said the same thing in hospital to a charge nurse. A harrowing 999 call made by Timbrell from the burning building was played to the court. "Help, help. Someone has put it on purpose [sic]. We're inside the flat," he said. He could be heard shouting: "Oh my God, oh my God, we're going to die." There was sobbing in the public gallery when the call was played.
In addition to five counts of murder, Smith was also convicted of one count of making threats of arson. The trial judge, Mr Justice Griffith Williams, said he wanted time to reflect before passing sentence. Timbrell later told paramedics and a police community support officer that "Mel from downstairs" had started the fire. He said: "She was shouting through the letterbox: 'I'm going to burn your house down' … It was Mel from the downstairs flat."
He told Smith that her life sentence was fixed by law but she would be brought back to the court on 8 May when she would be told the minimum term. Smith clung on to the arm of a security guard as she was led down to the cells and appeared to have difficulty walking. In addition to five counts of murder, Smith was also convicted of one count of making threats of arson. The trial judge, Mr Justice Griffith Williams, told Smith that her life sentence was fixed by law, but she would be brought back to the court on 8 May when she would be told the minimum term. Smith clung on to the arm of a security guard as she was led down to the cells and appeared to have difficulty walking.
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